The 7 Beard Trimming Mistakes Every Guy Makes

Let's be honest here..we have ALL made a beard trimming mistake at one point or another, and boy does it SUCK!

Some mistakes are worse than others... You know, when you trim your beard so bad the thought of shaving it off completely and starting over seems like a good idea for a split second. Well even a split second is too long for thoughts like that!

The truth is, most beard trimming mistakes can be fixed without sacrificing your entire beard. There are more than 7 mistakes we can and probably have made with our beards, but I wanted to cover the most common in hopes of saving you guys from making them moving forward

7 Beard Trimming Mistakes Every Guy Makes

Style Your Beard Before Trimming

Before you do any beard trimming, you need to go through your daily beard routine and apply any beard products you use. Then comb or brush your beard into place and let it fully dry. Here's why...

When you apply your beard oil and butter, the products will soften the hairs and alter the way your beard looks, and ultimately where those hairs fall into place. For example, beard butter has a light/medium hold and will straighten your beard hairs slightly. So if you trim without these products in, when you do apply them your beard will lay slightly differently and ultimately leave you with an uneven beard trim.

Uneven Beard Trim

This one might be the most often beard trimming mistake I personally make. You're sitting in the bathroom staring at the mirror trying to make sure the left side is as closely matched to the right as possible. You can quickly drive yourself crazy playing the back and forth game and if you're not careful, you'll end up taking off much more length than you wanted trying to get it"perfect".

My advice, step away from the mirror and come back to it later that day (or the next). Don't sit there and take more and more off.

Another trick I've found helpful is to take a picture to see if it's really even or not. For whatever reason, (maybe it's just me) I think my beard is even and then I see a picture or shoot a video for you guys and I realize my eyes must be crooked or something cause it's WAY uneven. So if you're unsure, take a quick picture and see how it looks (yes, it's a selfie but it's worth the sacrifice to make sure your beard trim is even!!).

High Neck Line

Ok, this may be the most common mistake we see on newer beards, and arguable the worst of them all. When you are defining your beard by shaping the lines, the difference of an inch can be the difference between a beard that looks great, and a beard that looks more like a chin strap...

You want to trim your neck line in where your head connects to your neck, NOT on your jawline! This line is usually just above your adams apple. By trimming in this line lower, your beard will have a much better side profile, and the additional hairs from the neck will provide much fuller growth as your beard grows out.

Low Cheek line

Now the mistake most guys make with their cheek line is opposite of the neck line. Too often we see guys who shave their cheek line too low. I personally believe you should keep your top line as high as naturally possible. The idea is to trim down any rogue hairs that are above the bulk of your beard, but keep the line as high.

Whether you go all natural and don't trim anything, or create a line, that is up to you. If you do create a line, connect your sideburn to the top of your stache and again only trim away hairs that are above that line.

Wet Beard Trim

When your beard is wet, your beard hairs appear longer because of the weight of the water. As your beard dries, your beard hairs shorten and settle into place.

Now most guys know not to trim when your beard is soaking wet, but even if it's "mostly dry" you'll still trim hairs that will shorten a bit when fully dry. So we always recommend trimming well after your beard has FULLY dry.

Trim Too Early or Too Often

Now there are some of us who wait way too long to trim, usually out of fear, and there are others that trim too soon and often. A beard trim is not a bad thing, and in fact if it's done properly, it can leave your beard looking fuller than before the trim. But if you're looking to add length and grow your beard out, you don't need to trim every week! I recommend letting it grow for 3 months before you trim, and then check in every month or so to trim any flyaways hairs and keep it shaped. During these checkins you're not really taking length off, but focussing on the wild hairs or taking bulk out of the width.

Took Too Much Length Off

This is one that causes a lot of pain. I mean, growing a beard takes some serious commitment of time and patience! So when you make a mistake that costs you months of growth, it's easy to get frustrated.

If you took too much length off, my best advice is to step away from the clippers. The last thing you want to do is try to fix it in the moment. You're pissed off, and you're likely just going to make it worse. You are your own worst critic and I guarantee you nobody is looking at your beard as closely as you are. Come back to it a couple hours later and see how you can even it out. The beautiful thing about a beard is that it'll grow back!

What Is the Best Frequency for Trimming My Beard?

The best frequency for trimming your beard is determined by a couple of things - the length it's at now and where you want it to end up. The shorter and neater you want your style to be the more often you'll need to be trimming it in order to keep the lines looking crisp and the shape all tidy.

What You Need to Consider When Planning Out Your Schedule

In addition to the general guidelines above your schedule will need to be tailored to your own unique situation, based on these three key points:

1. How Fast Does Your Beard Grow?

Every man's hair grows at a different speed. If you've got a beard that grows like crazy, you'll need to be trimming it more often than if it's slow to grow - just to keep the same length.

2. Style & Formality - What Kind of Look You're Going for

• Corporate/ Professional Beard If you've got a job or a personal preference that demands a very neat, sharp or faded look, you'll likely need to be tidying up the neckline and cheek lines every week.

• More Natural/Rugged Look If you prefer a more natural look, just a bit more relaxed, you can go a bit longer between trims and just chop off any straggly bits as they pop up.

3. Beard Health - and Why You're Really Doing This

Regular trims are a must for keeping your beard healthy. Whether it's short or long, you'll need to trim to prevent split ends travelling up the hair shaft and causing other damage. And if you're growing the length out, you don't want those wispy bits at the bottom of the bulk making you look like a scruff ball.

So, here's a Golden Rule - When in doubt, start with a longer interval (so, for a medium beard, 3 weeks perhaps), and adjust more often if your beard starts to look like a scruffy mess.

How Will I Know When I Need To Trim?

Knowing when to trim your beard is more about listening to your beard than just following a calendar.

In other words, you have to pay attention to your beard to know when its time for a trim its outgrown.

Here are the most clear cut signs that it is time to get your beard trimmed:

1. The Physical & Functional Stuff

These are the obvious signs that your beard is starting to become a nuisance or even a health risk:

Signs that mean its time to trim:

You Can See Split Ends- When you can see split hairs - the ones that are all frayed and brittle - it means the hair is damaged and you're in trouble. If you don't trim them off, the split will just keep going up the hair shaft, which will leave your beard looking weak and falling apart.

Always Getting Itchy- That itchy feeling you get from having a beard is ok at first, but if it persists, it means your skin is just getting clogged up with dead skin and dirt. Trimming your beard will help clear that all out and make it easier to keep your skin healthy.

The Tangle Test Maintenance- If your beard is starting to get all knotted up and tangled just from trying to comb or brush it, then your hair lengths are probably all over the place.

The Mustache Keeps Getting in the Way- If your mustache is always creeping over your upper lip and getting in the way of eating and drinking, then its time for a trim.

Beard Products Just Stop Working/Effectiveness- If the products you use just don't seem to be working as well as they used to - maybe they don't seem to be holding or softening your beard like they used to, then its probably because your beard has just gotten too long and hairy.

2. The Visual & Styling Signs

These are the signs that your beard is starting to lose the shape and definition you worked so hard to achieve:

Signs That Mean Its Time to Trim…Your Beard Has Lost Its Shape or Style: The defined shape you were looking for in your beard has finally started to blur - your neckline and cheek line aren't as sharp and clear as they used to be, and your beard is starting to look all shaggy. The "Lion's Mane"-Your beard is puffing out all over the place now, with all the hair on the sides starting to get all bushy and unruly.

Your Beard is Curling Under Your Chin: If your beard is medium or long length, then the hair on the bottom can start to get all curly and loopy under your chin - and that just looks messy.

Uneven or Patchy Look/Consistency: If the length of the hair on your beard is all uneven, with some bits looking wispy and thin, then its time to get it trimmed back in.

Everyone Is Commenting on It the Wrong Way: If all your friends and family are starting to say things like "oh man, your beard looks crazy!" then its probably time for a trim.

Tip for Neckline Maintenance

Keeping your neckline looking good is pretty easy.

• Just Take a Good Hard Look in the Mirror From the Side. Any hair you can see sprouting up from below your chin from that angle - its time to get rid of it.

• The line of your neckline should be right about two finger-widths above your Adam's apple. This way, your beard will look like it just stops, rather than going all the way down your neck like a "neckbeard".

Took Too Much Length Off

This is one that causes a lot of pain. I mean, growing a beard takes some serious commitment of time and patience! So when you make a mistake that costs you months of growth, it's easy to get frustrated.

If you took too much length off, my best advice is to step away from the clippers. The last thing you want to do is try to fix it in the moment. You're pissed off, and you're likely just going to make it worse. You are your own worst critic and I guarantee you nobody is looking at your beard as closely as you are. Come back to it a couple hours later and see how you can even it out. The beautiful thing about a beard is that it'll grow back!

What Happens When You Neglect Your Beard's Hygiene?

Neglecting to keep your beard clean can lead to two big problems : really serious skin issues and terrible beard quality.

For skin health, things can get pretty bad. Your beard becomes a sort of petri dish for bacteria because its got all the right ingredients - trapped food bits, sweat, and oil. Before long, you're dealing with severe itchiness, acne and even folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles). Beard dandruff joins the party as the skin underneath gets dry and starts shedding.

When it comes to beard quality, your hair gets all coarse, dry and brittle because its lost its natural moisture and its just got covered in grime. This makes it super prone to split ends and breakage, and before you know it, your beard looks dull, unkempt, and is a nightmare to style. And to make things even worse, its going to start to smell pretty bad, and get to the point where it is almost impossible to do much with it.

What Happens When You Use the Wrong Beard Products?

Using the wrong beard products can do some serious damage to both your facial hair and the skin underneath.

The consequences of this are pretty dire and fall into three main types:

1. Hair Damage - Think Brittle and Totally Unruly

• Super Dry and Breaky: Normal hair shampoo contains super harsh detergents (like sulfates) that are meant to strip oil from your scalp. But when you use them on your beard, they pretty much strip away the natural oil your hair needs to stay healthy which leaves it dry, coarse, and just plain uncomfortable.

• Split Ends Everywhere and Constant Breakage: When your hair is super dehydrated, it gets all brittle and starts to crack and break off in big chunks. This stops your beard from getting any longer and makes it look all thin and sad.

• Lose the Shine: Your beard used to be a nice shiny color, now it's dull and frizzy and just plain unmanageable. Forget about styling it.

2. Skin and Follicle Problems

• Dry, Flaky Beardruff and the Itch that Won't Quit: When you strip the skin of its natural moisture, you get a nasty case of dry skin that flakes off and feels super itchy all the time.

• Acne and Clogged Pores: Using the wrong stuff can block up your pores and cause acne. Some products - like those that contain mineral oil or silicone - can even make your skin look shiny at first, but that's just a sign that it's blocked up and can't breathe.

• Irritation and Redness: Harsh chemicals, weird pH levels, and synthetic fragrances in the wrong products can make your skin red and inflamed - and that can be a real pain in the long run.

3. Wasting Good Money on Products

• Stopping Good Stuff from Working: Some products on the market (like mineral oil or dimethicone) create a barrier on your hair that keeps good stuff from getting in. So even when you use a good beard oil or butter, it's just going to sit there on top of your hair rather than actually doing anything to help it. Live Bearded's products work to saturate the hair's natural barriers to moisturize not just your beard, but your skin as well.

• Allergic Reactions a-Go-Go: Using low-quality or old products can give you localized allergic reactions - like a rash or some serious itchy skin. And if you're using too much of the wrong stuff, it can make your skin even more sensitive.

Final Thoughts:

Making a beard trimming mistake is not a good feeling, and chances are you have made at least one of these (or if you're like me you've made them all) and you'll likely make a mistake again. That's just part of the process.

I hope these points help save you avoid mistakes moving forward! Not making a mistake is only only half the battle. There are some beard trimming tips you can follow to get the perfect beard trim from home. If you're looking to learn proper beard trimming techniques, check out Beard Trimming From Home.

We offer a LIFETIME warranty and money back guarantee on everything that we do. If you ever have any questions about beard trimming, beard products or anything at all, don't hesitate to contact us anytime!

Live Bearded, Brother!